(Debs, Pete - Happy 3 month Anniversary guys! Lotsa love!)
It was three months ago today that I stepped, no scratch that - catapulted myself out of my work comfort zone. I'm all too quick to state how I don't like to be boxed into a genre - that I'm not just a 'such and such' photographer. And I suppose if I was forced to say what I am or do most of, it's 'family lifestyle and portrait work (with a flurry of product photography too)'. So when I get asked if I do weddings, it's usually a big, fat NO. Which is silly when I think about it. Because I like to think that I am a good photographer - that doesn't want to just photograph 'this' or 'that'. I just love photography. So why am I so quick to say no to weddings? Why am I so quick to stay out (or in, depending which way you look at it) that box? I guess it's the pressure of fulfilling such a great need for a couple and their families on an incredibly important day that can never be repeated. It's the fear of failure.
Today I am sharing with you my biggest photography work leap. And the leap of my first Bride and Groom when they contacted me about their wedding day. To say it was an honour to be asked is an understatement. Debs had been my eldest's class teacher when she was in year 4 of primary school. After completing her first year of teaching at my kid's school, she had moved on to teach elsewhere. And on a Saturday night in November 2016 she messaged me to ask if I would be her wedding photographer. I was completely honest in letting her and her fiancé, Pete know that I had never photographed a wedding and that I didn't market myself as such either. Give me a family, or bunch of kids for an hour - in your home or at the beach or in my studio - on a day that (if needs be, in theory) can be rescheduled and I'm super confident! I'll photograph the shiz out of it. But even though the wedding was 9 months away from the initial enquiry, I think I spent a good portion of every month thinking and planning and getting my head around what I had agreed to do and how I could do the job to the best of my ability.
Debs and Pete made to a breeze though. They (Debs anyway) knew me - albeit as a student's parent, but still knew me. They knew my style of work. They knew I liked more natural looking images, not too much posed - they knew I go for 'you being you' and documenting moments. They said that was what they loved about my work and it what won me over.
So we had coffee meetings, a lovely engagement photography session in the spring and I was also so pleased to get to meet up with their families and wedding party at their church rehearsal. I was made to feel very welcome in the job I was doing and I knew this wedding would be a beautiful one. Everyone was relaxed and happy. Everyone was excited.
And now that a year has passed from my first contact with Debs regarding their big day and we are 3 months to the date - AND it's a dreary November day. I thought there was no better time to show you some of my favourites from their wedding gallery.
I haven't show cased these images before now. I shared a couple on my business
Facebook page and a few on my personal account at the time... I suppose I was in the mindset that I didn't need to show them as I don't market myself as a 'Wedding Photographer', but then why would I do that? This is still me, my work and what I have accomplished. For photographers that only do weddings and have crafted their work and studied and planned and learned and honed amazing skills and knowledge - I bow to you! It's such hard work. But what made this day perfect for me was a couple that understood me and I them. We connected, we worked together and they knew what I could do and what I would do for them. It was a mutual excitement for such an incredible day. For me it was a gut feeling that I should accept such an honour from Debs and Pete. Their description of how they wanted their day documented was perfect. So I therefore I should always remember to never say never...
(Click into the images for better quality viewing...)
Telephone | 07843621150
Studio: 7 Park Avenue, Wallasey, Wirral CH44 9DZ
